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Top Sun Belt Games to Watch in Week 1
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- Top Sun Belt Games to Watch in Week 1
| Source: Lastwordonsports.com - Tony Siracusa, CFB Managing Editor
As Week 1 of the college football season begins, there are several teams in the Sun Belt that will have big games to open up their season. These are the top Sun Belt games to watch, as these will be big tests for these teams out of the gate.
Top Sun Belt Games to Watch in Week 1
Coastal Carolina at West Virginia
Coastal Carolina will begin their season in Morgantown, ushering in a new era. They fired former head coach Tim Beck after three seasons, including a 6-7 record in his final two. Replacing Beck is Ryan Beard.
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Beard was previously the head coach at Missouri State, and he has brought over a lot of players with him.
The interesting thing about this matchup is that neither team has announced who the starting quarterback will be. For the Chanticleers, Deuce Bailey, Tre Guerra, Trever Jackson, Osiris Lopez and Luke McBride have all competed for the job. Beard has said the decision for whoever starts will be a game-time decision. Bailey was one of the transfers that came with Beard from Missouri State. He made one start last season.
For West Virginia, Michael Hawkins Jr. and Scotty Fox Jr. have both been in competition to win the starting job. While head coach Rich Rodriguez hasn't publicly announced the starter, it has been reported that Hawkins Jr. will be starting.
This is the second season under Rodriguez, and West Virginia will look to rebound from an underwhelming 4-8 season.
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The Chanticleers will be facing a former player, as Ezekiel Durham-Campbell transferred to West Virginia during the offseason. Durham-Campbell was one of the premier defenders for Coastal Carolina last season, recording 5.5 sacks, which led the team.
West Virginia enters this matchup as the heavy favorite, as a 21.5-point favorite. They are also planning to retire former quarterback Pat White's No. 5 before kickoff.
Kickoff: Sat., Sept. 5, at noon ET
Where to watch: TNT
Marshall at Penn State
Marshall enters this matchup against a Penn State team that underwent a lot of change this offseason. The Nittany Lions have a new head coach in Matt Campbell, and he brought in 24 transfers, most coming from his former team Iowa State.
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One of the key players who came with him is Rocco Becht . In his last three years at Iowa State, Becht threw for 9,209 yards and 64 touchdowns.
Becht will present a challenge to the Marshall defense that really struggled against the pass last season. The Thundering Herd ranked 127thin the nation in yards allowed per game with 261.7. Against Becht, who has a good arm and experience playing under Campbell, a key point of emphasis will be to limit what Penn State can do in the pass game.
The Thundering Herd will look to begin their season on a high note, coming off a disappointing 5-7 season.
For the Thundering Herd, it will come down to the play of Carlos Del Rio-Wilson. He brings a unique skill set to the table that will challenge the Penn State defense on the ground and through the air. He threw for 2,043 yards and rushed for 660.
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Penn State had one of the nation's top defenses last season, as they were great against the pass and solid against the run.
Marshall does have good pieces that Del Rio-Wilson can trust, specifically tight end Toby Payne. But with how stout the Penn State defense is, Marshall will need a strong performance out of Del Rio-Wilson.
Kickoff: Sat., Sept. 5, at 3:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FS1
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Liberty at James Madison
This matchup presents a similar scenario as the Coastal Carolina vs. West Virginia game, as neither team has announced who the starting quarterback will be.
James Madison is coming off winning the Sun Belt championship, but it's a roster and coaching staff with major turnover. Former head coach Bob Chesney departed for UCLA and Billy Napier came in to take over.
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Quarterback Alonza Barnett III, the Sun Belt Player of the Year, transferred to UCF. The Dukes haven't decided on a starting quarterback yet, but JC Evans and Camden Coleman have been competing for the job. Both Evans and Coleman were on the JMU roster last season.
Evans doesn't have much FBS experience, having played in only six games over the previous two seasons. He has shown tremendous ability with his legs in his brief moments. Coleman played at Richmond before transferring to James Madison. In 2024, he threw for 2,031 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Running back Wayne Knight also left, but George Pettaway is still on the roster, so they retain some production at the position.
For the Flames, they will announce on their own timeline. "What is the point of announcing it?" said Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell. "Why not just wait 'till gameday to see who trots out there."
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Deshawn Purdie, Jalen Henderson, Jachin Davis and Ethan Vasko have all competed for the job.
The uncertainty at quarterback for the Flames can be an issue against a James Madison defense that was one of the most dominant in the nation last season. Although that unit has lost pieces, they still have several major contributors on the roster.
James Madison is a 6.5-point favorite, but all the change they underwent gives Liberty an opportunity for a Week 1 victory.
Kickoff: Sat., Sept. 5, at noon ET
Where to watch: ESPNU
Other Sun Belt games
North Carolina A&T at Georgia State
Maine at Appalachian State
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Alcorn State at Southern Mississippi
Norfolk State at Old Dominion
Sam Houston at Troy
Southeastern Louisiana at South Alabama
Charleston Southern at Georgia Southern
Louisiana-Monroe at Mississippi State
Arkansas State at Memphis
Louisiana at Lamar
Northwestern State at Louisiana Tech
Main Image: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
